The Chennai Angels: A Sector and Geography Agnostic Fund The fund has invested in 64 startups since its inception
By S Shanthi
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The Chennai Angels (TCA) was formed in 2007 by a group of prominent successful entrepreneurs from TiE Chennai, who felt that they needed a funding arm to support the companies that they were nurturing. Today, they are 144 members strong with a mix of individuals, corporates and institutions.TCA has invested across SaaS, Fintech, Edutech, Consumer Tech, Manufacturing Tech, AI, Hospitality and other sectors across India and overseas.
The firm claims to be both sector and geography agnostic in its investments. "Our investment philosophy is quite simple. The startup needs to address a critical problem for a business or a consumer. Their solution needs to be not only unique but should also leverage technology for scaling. The offerings need to be clearly differentiated from the competition. At the same time, we look for a fair revenue model that benefits both the customer and the company. Startups that address large addressable markets, have a robust go-to-market strategy and are backed by an experienced, passionate team will definitely grab the interest of TCA's investors," said K Chandran, CEO, The Chennai Angels.
The fund has invested in 64 startups since its inception. In addition, it has participated in up round fundraises by over 36 of its portfolio companies. TCA's target for 2021 is a total of 25 investments, with a cumulative investment ranging around INR 40 Cr.
Some of its well-performing startups include Chennai-based Indus Valley and Chai Kings.
Some other notable startups that TCA has nurtured and helped grow are Nojoto, Proklean, Paperflite, Hitwicket, Finbud and Fourth Partner Energy.
